Ties that Bind
by Tsukiko Lily
Summary: Tough love and alcohol. More dark Russell fic for your enjoyment! Now with more kinky innkeepers! Another contest entry, the theme being "whiskey."


**Author's Note:** Another month, another contest! August's theme is "whiskey," which I approve of greatly! It seemed pretty popular with everyone else, too, and the burning question around the forum was "will it be super funny or super serious." Well, this is my answer, which is apparently "dark and serious but funny at times with racy undertones." Also, this was actually inspired somewhat by a pairing game thread. ^^; It's just a silly forum game where someone posts two pairings, and you choose the one you like better and then post two pairings of your own. Well, someone mentioned Russell/Lady Ann, which just works in my mind, somehow, and since I could see it working well with this theme, I went for it. I don't know if I like the way I wrote Lady Ann, though. It's been a while since I've seen her in canon, but this is kind of how I've always imagined her, so I guess it's up to you lovely people to tell me if I missed the mark. ;) Also, I swear I'm not losing my ability to write anything other than depressing things involving Russell. It's just that the themes keep making the idea pop up, and I'd best not argue with the muses. ^^; And I suppose I'm on a bit of a Russell kick anyway, so… Just enjoy.

**Warnings:** Takes place in the aftermath of kinky things… But I think it's still a T if I leave the details to the imagination and the act offscreen? (Wouldn't want to be disqualified from the contest or anything. ^^;) Anyway, if the mere mention of mischief involving librarians and ropes disturbs you, perhaps this wouldn't be your cup of tea. Like a lot of my fic, it lays the angst on rather thick, which seems to bother some people and absolutely delight others. ^_~

**Obligatory Disclaimer:** These things don't happen in Rune Factory. Unless I'm writing, which is probably why I'm not allowed. ;_; And since I'm not allowed, none of this is canon, and I don't get one red cent.~

**Ties that Bind**

"You didn't really strike me as the type who would enjoy being tied up."

Russell shifted his empty glass in his right hand as he examined his wrists, tentatively prodding at faint rope burns.

"Well, it's not like I really expected you to enjoy tying people up, either."

In retrospect, he didn't know what else he _could_ have expected out of a woman who seemed to have adopted the title of "Lady" for no logical reason. That actually made him feel rather important, which bolstered his courage somewhat, leaving him open to go wherever her whims would take him. After all, he'd been chosen by the Lady herself.

"…You at least enjoyed it, right?"

"Well… Yes! I mean, it's not like I've ever done this sort of thing before, but…"

Lady Ann cut him off long before he could find a point in what he was saying.

"Oh, stop trying to be coy. Do you honestly think you have to justify yourself over this? I'm the one with the ropes, remember."

"I… Suppose you have a point."

The pair laughed briefly, then allowed the silence to glide back in on the cool drafts that found their way around the windowpanes. The air was not uncomfortably cold, but there was a slight chill in the air that suggested that it probably wasn't the best time sit around half-dressed, though neither of them were really in the mood to put on sensible clothing. The thought had crossed Russell's mind, but it made him feel old, so he decided to think of something else. Then he wondered if he should just head home. It had gotten late, and it wasn't as though he and Lady Ann hadn't accomplished what they had been planning on. _Besides, _he thought,_ I'm not just responsible for myself anymore. I need to get this whole staying out late thing out of my system before Cecilia becomes some kind of tragic street urchin and resorts to petty crime. Sure, she seems fine sleeping over with Nicholas for _now,_ but in the future…_ He was suddenly distracted by a mental image of his daughter and the neighbor boy running wild in the streets at all hours of the night and setting up elaborate pranks for the townspeople to discover in the morning. Looking at it that way, it seemed too absurd to worry over. Especially since it seemed like _he_ was the one wandering the streets all night and getting mixed up in all sorts of trouble.

"Um, Ann, do you think…"

She grinned mischievously.

"You know full well that behind the desk and in the bedroom, that's _Lady_ Ann to you! 'Ann' is what you say when you greet me on the street."

Russell didn't know why she seemed to think that acting self-important was a valid flirting technique. Or, for that matter, why it worked so well.

"…Ok. Anyway, I was wondering if I should just sleep here tonight."

_Here I go again._ Russell had been somewhat wary about romance of any sort ever since he had arrived in Kardia. He felt like he made a habit of overstaying his welcome just so he wouldn't have to go home and wrestle with insomnia in his dark, empty bed. His dealings with women in recent years made him feel pathetic and childish. _I had a nightmare, can I crawl in bed with you?_ It just ended up depressing him.

"Of course. I was just thinking that I like having you here."

"Alright, it's just that it's late and all, and… Well I suppose that was kind of the point…"

"No, I wouldn't make you go home at this hour."

"I guess we have that settled, then…" He fiddled with the glass in his hands. "…I think I'll help myself to a refill."

Russell edged over to the nightstand and poured himself another drink. He held the glass up to the lantern and watched it light up, little sparkles jumping on to the floor. The glass was made of cut crystal, and the liquor was held in a matching vessel. Lady Ann always seemed to have nice things. He didn't really drink much besides wine at home, and had even put a stop to that after an incident involving an open bottle, some late-night paperwork, and Cecilia blowing off steam before bed. It was a good way to get things ruined, and he didn't really want to deal with a mess like that again. He remembered how the dim light had made the red stains look darker than they normally would have, which filled him with bad memories and unsettled emotions. He glanced back at the glass in his hand and raised it to take a hot, numbing sip. He topped the glass off again before lying back on the bed with pillows propping his head and neck. Lady Ann seemed troubled.

"You fill those glasses pretty high."

Russell held his drink up to the light again. The warm amber fluid didn't even fill the glass by half.

"I don't think it's _that_ full."

"Well, it's above where I usually fill it, at least."

"You have great taste in whiskey, so I want to get some while I can."

She had to admit that one.

"Still, you should slow down a bit."

"Ok, I'll try not to bleed you dry."

"It's not that, it's just… You seem to hit that stuff pretty often."

"Don't worry about me. I can hold my liquor, you know!"

"Russell, I don't worry about you holding it, I worry about you putting it down."

"I'm going to be going to bed soon. I just wanted to take the edge off."

"…Take the edge off of what?"

"You know what I'm talking about. At night I… I just get really uneasy and start thinking about the wrong things. We've had this conversation before and I'd rather not have it again, alright." He topped his glass off again, leaned back on the bed, and began considering just going home.

"It's ok. I… Know we've been over it before."

Lady Ann sighed. Somehow, she'd known about Russell before they'd even exchanged words. She always seemed to have a gift for spotting troubled men, and though it seemed like that sort of skill would keep her from falling in to worry-filled relationships, the opposite was usually true. She seemed to use her instincts to find the person she most wanted to draw towards her. This time, it had been Russell. She remembered when she first encountered him, how alone he had seemed as he leaned forward on an empty table in a shadowy area at the bar. He turned out to be the sort of man-with-problems that she had the strongest affinity for. Intelligent and thoughtful, damaged and quietly dramatic. This, of course, was also the sort of person that worried her sick. She was watching him now, reclining on her bed with a drink in his hand and his glasses slightly crooked. She tried to juggle simultaneous feelings of attraction and concern. She wondered what he was thinking about.

"…Russell?"

"…Hrm?"

"I suppose… Well, I guess it's ok for now. Just remember to take care of your body."

"I am taking care of my body! I'm trying to get a good night's sleep and sleep is good for you."

Lady Ann almost laughed in spite of herself. Russell sometimes caught her off guard with his ability to make light of serious things. At times, that comprised the whole of his sense of humor. She remembered one night when he kept rattling off things he did in the war, trying to sound flippant, like none of it bothered him, all while keeping a somewhat amused smirk plastered on his face. It had seemed funny at first, albeit in a bitter, ironic way, but she saw through him fairly early on. The tension in his neck and shoulders, the dull glassy stare, a certain quivering sound to his voice. If there was any doubt left, he went on to drink until he nearly passed out and she had to practically drag him home. _Scared me half to death that night._ Even so, she had to admit that it felt good in the end, like she had rescued him.

"…Yes, I think some sleep would do you good. You've been looking tired all day."

"Maybe I have been, a little."

It would have ruined the moment for him to say that he'd been at least a little tired constantly for several years.

"Ok. Lights out, then."

She removed the empty glass from Russell's hand a placed it on the table. She noticed that the tender red rings around his wrists had faded a bit. She felt a bit sad to see them go. They were like a signature she'd left there, and they seemed to suit him, somehow. _Oh, Russell. At least I tried to anchor you to _something_ tonight._

"You said you were turning that light out."

He was slurring his words slightly, and seemed in a hurry to get to sleep. She slid in to bed next to him, and extinguished the lantern with a smile.


End file.
